Definitely Dead

by Kate Bendelow

  ‘Not a problem. I’ll ring you once I’m finished up here if that’s okay,’ said Andy, uncharacteristically subservient.

  ‘Make sure you do. I don’t want to have to start chasing you.’

  ‘You won’t. I’ll call you back as soon as I can.’

  ‘Before you go, there’s one other thing. Do you work with someone called Maya Barton?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Good. I want you to find out everything there is to know about her.’

  The call was disconnected before Andy could comment further. Sighing heavily, he returned to the mortuary. It wasn’t the sight of the pathologist scooping out Geoffrey Doran’s insides through a gaping cavity that made Andy want to be sick; it was the conversation he’d just had with Aiden Donnelly.

  35

  Markita’s mouth was dry and her stomach churned as she arrived at the prison. She sat in her car, bracing herself to go and visit Nowak. Donnelly had told her that Piotr was struggling being inside because of how much he missed her. He said she should go and visit and reassure him that things were fine between them. She was to convince him how much she missed him and was looking forward to him coming home. She was also to apologise for not visiting earlier, and explain it was because she found it too upsetting to see him in there.

  For Markita, this was going to be easier said than done. She wasn’t confident that she could lie successfully to Piotr’s face. He knew her too well. She was convinced he would see through her duplicity, and the thought of him finding out what she had done terrified her. He would kill her. He would kill both of them.

  With trembling hands, she reached for her phone and read the text message she had just received.

  Don’t worry about the visit. Just think about us together later.

  Despite her anxiousness, she beamed at the thought. Markita texted back that she couldn’t wait and included a row of love heart emojis. Her dry mouth moistened at the thought of the evening ahead. Pulling down the sun visor, she slid back the panel to reveal the vanity mirror, and carefully applied a fresh slick of lip gloss. She spritzed perfume over her exposed cleavage and with that, she was ready.

  Markita locked the car and steadied herself on her towering heels, before clacking her way towards the prison entrance. Her phone bleeped again with a message from Donnelly:

  Make sure you keep Piotr happy.

  It wasn’t going to be easy, but she would make sure this visit went well. She would tell Piotr everything he wanted to hear and more. She couldn’t afford to risk arousing his suspicions, so she had no choice.

  The sight and sound of Geoffrey Doran being catapulted from the car keeps playing on a loop in my mind. With hindsight, it was a foolish, reckless plan. Anything could have gone wrong. I could have killed myself. I might not have killed Doran. If he hadn’t died, then considering how well he knew me, he would easily have recognised me and that would have been it. Louisa always said I could be too impetuous at times.

  The sound of the car slamming into him was unforgettable. The crunching thud and the splintering of the windscreen. The feel of the car mounting his broken body had been a truly cathartic sensation. Each of the deaths had given me a sense of release. I had even managed a full, deep and dreamless sleep after each of them. I like to think if Louisa had been watching, she would have been pleased and felt compensated in some way.

  But that was then, and this is now. Yet again, I feel restless and so fucking angry and resentful towards so many people. The only thing I can do to soothe my peace of mind is to think of Louisa. Or decide who I’m going to kill next. And exactly how I’m going to do it.

  36

  It was another warm day when Maya arrived at work for her afternoon shift. It had rained heavily through the night, leaving a heavy mugginess that threatened to repeat the blistering heat of the last few weeks.

  ‘Good afternoon, team.’ Maya was greeted with the smell of fast food as she walked into the office.

  ‘Hi, love.’ Amanda gave her usual cheery smile.

  Connor, Chris and Elaine acknowledged Maya with a wave; their mouths were full of the fried chicken and chips that they were sat gathered around. Maya guessed it was a quiet day, as it wasn’t often that any of the team got to have a proper meal break. It was usually so busy that, at best, they grabbed a quick snack while updating paperwork.

  ‘Where are Nicola and Andy?’ Maya mused aloud as she turned to study the duties board.

  ‘Nic’s rest day, Andy’s at a post-mortem. We’ve had a fatal road-traffic collision last night. It looks like a hit and run. Or to be more precise, it looks like he’s been hit and run over several times.’ Amanda grimaced as she spoke.

  ‘God, that sounds nasty. So, has he been hit initially, and then other drivers have just not seen him?’

  ‘The preliminary investigation suggests it’s the same car that has driven over him more than once. Whoever was driving, clearly wanted him dead.’

  ‘Oooh, nasty. But interesting.’ Maya was startled by the realisation that discussing fatalities had suddenly become normal to her. She was clearly getting used to being a SOCO.

  ‘Yeah, and no sad loss either which is a bonus. Our victim is Geoffrey Doran. The bastard has made a career out of conning pensioners out of their life savings. I don’t think anyone will be mourning his unfortunate passing. My guess is he’s been finished off by a family member of one of his victims. Who knows?’ Amanda shrugged.

  ‘Hey, Maya, he could be another contender for your sudden death conspiracy. D’ya think your mystery killer has struck again?’ Elaine laughed raucously.

  Maya’s eyes darted nervously towards Kym’s office door.

  ‘Shh, Elaine. I don’t need dropping in the shit again.’

  Kym suddenly appeared from her office. ‘Who’s in the shit?’ She frowned, eyeing all the staff suspiciously.

  Maya glared at Elaine as Amanda interjected. ‘I was just saying, they’ll be in the shit if they don’t clear all that rubbish away after their lunch.’

  ‘Mm, really,’ said Kym dubiously.

  ‘While we’re on the subject of food,’ Amanda tapped her desk for attention, ‘can I just remind you all that the freezer in here is to be used to store exhibits only? I had an officer call in yesterday to collect some blood swabs from one of Nicola’s scenes. I was mortified to open it up and find the exhibit nestling next to a box of bloody Cornettos.’

  Chris and Elaine exchanged a guilty look, which sent Connor and Maya off in peals of laughter. Kym rolled her eyes and shook her head exasperatedly before turning to Maya. ‘Could I have a quick word please.’ She spun efficiently on her heel and strode back into her office with Maya following nervously behind, her fingers instinctively in her mouth as she began to chew the skin around her nails.

  ‘I’ll not beat about the bush. I just wanted to let you know that top office won’t be taking any form of disciplinary action against you following the unfortunate incident with Dave Wainwright. They were sympathetic to the predicament you found yourself in and are satisfied that at no point did you deliberately intend to share information about the investigation.’

  Maya slumped back into the chair and sighed with relief. She was about to speak when Kym held up her hand to silence her.

  ‘They have, however, asked me to remind you that you should only ever use respectful language. Our job can be challenging at times and while we accept that gallows humour is a much-needed coping mechanism, there is a time and a place for it. You need to be mindful of that. That applies to whether you are in work or going about your own private business. Do I make myself clear?’

  ‘Crystal.’

  ‘For what it’s worth, I have assured them that I think you hold a lot of promise. I think you can go far in this job so long as you stay focused on the task in hand and dismiss any future ridiculous notions and avoid making assumptions. I think you should take this reprieve as an opportunity to reread the code of ethics which were explained to you when you started at Alder
Street.’

  Maya nodded furiously. She’d do anything to keep her job. ‘I will, Kym. Thank you.’

  ‘Good. Familiarise yourself with what is expected of you and ensure you adhere to it. I see this as an opportunity for you to clear the air and start again. Before we do that, is there anything else at all you think I may need to be aware of?’

  Maya hesitated. For a moment it was as if time stood still and she was sat in Kym’s office at a metaphorical crossroads, deciding whether this was the one and only chance for her to come clean. To share her secret. To unburden herself from the one thing that woke her in a cold sweat most nights.

  She chewed her cuticles. If Maya was ever going to admit that she had lied on her initial application form, the time was now. All she had to do was open her mouth and tell Kym that she had not disclosed the fact that the notorious Marcus Naylor was in fact her biological father. But, how could she? How could she admit to other people the one thing that sickened and terrified her to admit to herself? How could she risk her dream job and everything she had achieved by letting people know?

  The minute the truth was out there, people would change around her. She would be tainted by association. Not only would she probably lose her job, but she would be judged because of who she shared her DNA with. She had come this far; she had no choice but to carry on keeping quiet.

  ‘Maya?’ Kym was staring at her with a mixture of concern and confusion.

  ‘There’s absolutely nothing else you need to know about. Everything’s fine. Couldn’t be better.’ Her finger had started to bleed, and she wiped it dismissively on her trousers. With that, Maya excused herself before Kym had the chance to detect the lack of honesty on her face. Either that or have a change of heart and tell her boss the whole, ugly, horrible truth.

  37

  Nowak was hunched on his bunk, brooding about the visit from Markita. She was definitely hiding something from him. Her faux cheerfulness and disingenuous claims about how much she was missing him were as transparent as the see-through bra straps she wore underneath her scanty top. He couldn’t stand that bra. The idea was to make the bra look invisible underneath certain tops, but he always thought the straps looked even more obvious. Cheap and obvious.

  And it wasn’t just Markita that was winding him up. There was still no mention of a transfer to Strangeways and he felt that both the solicitor and Donnelly were dragging their feet. How much could he really trust these people? He had begun to second-guess everything he saw or heard; poring over every facial tic and word.

  He reasoned that if Markita could lie to his face so easily, and he was certain that she was lying, could Donnelly do the same? But why would he lie to him? Rationally, he knew that it didn’t make any sense for his friend to want him out of the way. They weren’t just business partners; they were practically family. But there was an inkling. The slightest glimmer of doubt that refused to be extinguished. He shook his head to clear the notion from his mind.

  All these negative, suspicious thoughts were due to being locked up. Like Donnelly had advised, he just needed to keep his head. He’d be out of here before he knew it. As soon as Spencer James was put in the frame for the McCluskey stabbing he’d be free. Then once he was home, he would find out what Markita was up to. God help her if she was cheating. Woman or not, he would kill her and whoever it was she was sleeping with. The thought of such a betrayal hurt him too much to even bear thinking about. He loved her so much and the thought of her being with someone else made him feel sick to the stomach.

  It wasn’t just the thought of her in bed with someone else, though God knows that was painful enough. He thought of all the money he had spent on her and all the intimate moments they had shared. He remembered how he had opened his heart to her and told her things he had never told another woman. He had not only stupidly shared information about his dealings with Donnelly, but he had declared his undying love to her. The thought that she would now throw all that back in his face made him feel used and humiliated. He hit himself several times on the side of his head, wishing he could stop all the thoughts that were churning around inside his mind. It was unbearable.

  ‘You okay, mate?’ Marcus Naylor was sat at the table in their cell, his face a mask of concern. He’d been occupying himself playing solitaire with a pack of well-worn cards but had become aware of Nowak’s restlessness. He’d been subdued since he’d returned from his visit with Markita and it didn’t take a genius to work out that she was what the problem was.

  ‘Fuckin’ women, innit,’ Nowak grumbled as he climbed down from the bunk and joined Naylor at the table.

  ‘They’re nothing but trouble, mate, trust me.’

  ‘Yeah? Even the lovely Maya?’

  ‘It’s not what you think, mate. I’m not interested in her like that. It’s complicated.’ Naylor shook his head. He avoided eye contact, concentrating instead on shuffling the cards.

  ‘Care to share?’ Nowak said flippantly.

  ‘Not really. It’s personal, mate. No offence.’

  ‘Jesus, man. I’ve listened to you snoring, wanking and had to breathe in the smell of your shit for more hours than I care to count. I think we’ve got past the personal stage, don’t you?’

  Naylor ran a meaty hand over his head, looking exasperated. ‘I don’t fancy her. It’s not like that. She’s the reason I’m in here.’

  ‘What, forensically? She must have been in primary school when you were locked up.’

  ‘She was twelve actually,’ Naylor replied bluntly.

  ‘So how did a twelve-year-old end up getting you locked up?’ Nowak was looking at Naylor quizzically. He was certainly proving to be a dark horse.

  ‘She rang the police on me. She also knew where I’d hidden evidence and told them everything when they arrived. A fucking kid, can you believe it?’

  ‘How did she even know? Was she a neighbour or something?’

  ‘No.’ Naylor sighed disgustedly. ‘She’s my daughter.’

  The silence loomed like an oppressive gas until Nowak eventually let out a rush of air.

  ‘Whoa! You’re telling me your daughter is a SOCO. That she’s police? Fuckin’ police? Jesus, that’s really bad, my friend.’ Nowak shook his head, eyeing Naylor warily This new dynamic was as unprecedented as it was unexpected.

  Naylor hung his head with shame and disgust. ‘Now you know why I’m so keen to find out everything I can about her. She and I have a few old scores to settle. I think it’s about time she paid for getting me put away, don’t you? I want her to suffer. And Dominique, her bitch of a mother.’

  Although Nowak appreciated the sentiment, he was shocked that Naylor would go so far. Yes, he deserved some payback, but to wish one of your own dead. It wasn’t comparable to his thoughts about Markita – she was his girlfriend. Maya was Nowak’s daughter. ‘I get it, but she was just a kid. Surely you can’t hold her responsible. She’s your own flesh and blood, mate.’

  ‘Is that what you think? Maybe when you’ve spent as much time stewing in here as I have, you’ll see things differently. She might only have been a kid, but she knew exactly what the consequences would be once she rang the police.’ He snorted with disgust. ‘She wanted me to be put away in here and I can never forgive her for that. And now, she’s one of them. Talk about taking the piss. Daughter or not, she’s dead to me.’

  Nowak could tell by the look of sheer anger and contempt on Naylor’s face that he meant every word he said. It was obvious that there was no love lost for Maya or the mother. The implications of what would happen to them once Naylor was released from prison were massive. When that day came, Maya and Dominique Barton would be as good as dead. Naylor was hell-bent on revenge. As for Nowak, Maya meant nothing to him. He felt the same contempt for her as he did for all police. If Naylor ever needed any help from him in getting his revenge on Maya, he would be only too happy to help his friend out.

  38

  There was an unusual lack of jobs. No burglaries had been reported and
thankfully there were no serious incidents to deal with. The day staff had finished an hour early with Kym’s blessing, leaving Maya alone to cover the late shift. She was grateful for the peace and quiet as it gave her the opportunity to deal with the statement requests that had been emailed to her.

  The smell of fried chicken and chips still lingered in the office, championed only by the smell of printer ink and Chris’s boots, which he always left festering under his desk at the end of each shift.

  Maya hummed along to the radio as she typed up a statement for an assault she had dealt with several weeks ago. She was so preoccupied with transferring details of her scene examination onto the statement that she didn’t even hear Andy arrive in the office.

  ‘Hiya, Maya, love. Are you on your own?’ His uncharacteristically pleasant demeanour made her instantly wary.

  ‘Erm, yeah. There’s nothing doing so Kym let the day shift finish early. How was the PM?’

  ‘Not so bad, long-winded as always. I’m just going to process my photographs before I go. Do you want a brew?’

  That was a first. Andy was infamous for making himself a tea or coffee without ever asking anyone else. It was yet another regular bone of contention between him and Elaine.

  ‘No, I’m good, thanks.’ She nodded towards the can of Diet Coke on the desk next to her.

  Andy fussed about as she concentrated on writing her statement. The boiling kettle soon drowned out the sound of the radio, which Andy was now tunelessly whistling along to. It was starting to grate on her nerves. She hoped he’d hurry up, sort out his photographs and leave her in peace. She groaned inwardly as he finished making coffee, rhythmically tapping the teaspoon against the side of his mug, before clattering it down onto the metal tea tray without even wiping it.